Protect
by find true strength
Summary: Chiro decides to get Antauri a father's day gift to show how much he cares for him. after antauri becomes overprtective but is it enough when a person from chiro's past warns of death hovering over them.
1. Chapter 1

**Charpter 1**

It was a cloudy day when an alarm went off. A hand came out of the covers and hit the dimiss button. the figure in the bed turned over " more minintes." All of a sudden the figure shot up. It was a boy about 13 with black hair and clear blue eyes. 'Todays the day in comes in, have to hurry' the boy thought as he lesped out of bed. This boy was none other than chiro of the super robort monkey team. As chiro was changed out of his pjs his door opened.

"Ahh, good to see you up" a silver monkey said smiling.

"Good morning, Antauri. You can't tickle me awake today" chiro laughed. Antauri put on a mock hurt experission "I love tickling you awake, how could you deprive me of such a joy?" Chiro laughed harder "easy!". Antauri looked at Chiro fondly "well, lets go down and get breakfeast before the others come up to see whats takking so long." "okay, so what's for breakfeast?" Chiro asked going out his room.

When Chiro and Antauri got to the kitchen there was four other monkeys waiting. The red(sprinx) and yellow(nova) monkeys were fighting over something. Chiro guessed Sprinx tried to flirt with Nova. The green(otto) monkey was worfing everything within reach down and flinging pieces of food everywhere. The blue(gibson) monkey was trying to eat with as much diginty as he could while trying to avoid ottos mess. "Good morning, everyone" Chiro excliamed happliy siting down to enjoy his breakfeast. "Nova, Sprinx you better hurry an start eating before Otto and I eat it all". "oh no you don't kid." replied Sprinx in between bites. Nova just laughed and started eating her on food. Gibson looked a little impressed, before only Antauri could get them to stop fighting but even for him he sometimes had a hard time doing it Chiro in just one sentence got them to stop fighting an completly got rid of there anger. 'I'm so glad we have chiro he has done this team good. He has became our light and we will protect that light at all cost'. Antari looled at Gibson knowinly silently agreeing.'Chiro you have no idea how much we-I- need you. You are the reason i get up in the morning, the reason i can smile and laugh, my son' As everyone was finishing there breakfeast Chiro said he was going to to the dishes "I'm going to go out for a little bit after i do the dishes. I have to get some things from the store." "okay but take an umbrella it looks like it might rain." Antari said worridly." okay, don't worry i'll only be out for bout an hour."chiro agreed.

Finally the dishes were done. Chiro grabbed his umbrella before dashing outside.' I'm so nevous. what if he doesn't like it? What if he doesn't feel the same as i do?' Chiro stop his mind from going in circles. He had order a special statue of a monkey holding a little boy with the engraving love you dad at the bottom. Chiro wants to give it to Antauri as a suprise father's day gift that was the next day, to show him how much the monkey has come to mean to him. 'please let him like it, please let him accept me.' Chiro prayed despertly as he was leaving the store with the wrapped girt and a few groceries and things for his room to cover the real reason he went. When chiro got to the super robot he put the groceries in the kitch then dased to his room. He had just enough time to hide the gift before his door opened. "Hello, chiro how was your trip out?" Antauri asked curisouly as chiro started to put up the other things he got. "Really good, I got you some more of your tea I saw you were almost out."Chiro answered. "Thank you" All of a sudden the super robot's alarm went off. They ran to the main room where as everyone else got there. "Gibson what's attacking?" Gibson was looking at the monitor "formless at the bridge as well in sectors 3 & 5." "Okay, we will have to split up. Gibson where are there the most and least formless"

"The bridge has the most and section three has the least,why?"

"Three of us go to the bridge where the most formless are two go to sector 5 and sector three can be handled by one person. We keep in constant cominucation. Gibson go with otto to sector 5, antauri got to sector three, nova sprinx and I will go to the bridge. Be carful everyone" Chiro ordered as they ran out the super robot everyone going to there destion. Antauri was the firt to finish he went to help gibson and otto. There was only a few left when he got there. They quickly finish them off and flew to the bridge to see how the others were fairing. As they got close to the bridge when they heard a nova yell. "Chiroooo!" Antauri went even faster if that was possible with fear clutching his heart. When he landed he looked and saw Chiro standing with a pain expression on his face holding his left arm as blood ran down it. He was at chiro's side in a blink of an eye "Chiro, are you okay? Gibson, help him!" Antuari corcern and fear in his voice. The others fighting in a semi-circle to protect them furious that these things hurt their leader-their chiro. "Don't worry its just a scratch" Chiro replied as gibson started to move his sleeve. There was a deep gash running from the top of his arm to almost his elbow. When Antauri saw this fury comsumed him 'how dare these things touch his son' when he saw gibson start to tend to the gash antaiuri attack the formless with strong, furious attacks. they were finish in mere seconds. When the other monkeys saw how frighting Antauri could be when angy they all swore not to ever piss him off. They returned to the super robot where gibson finished patching chiro up. Chiro rested for about two hours when he woke it took a minute to focus his eyes because of the pain kills. When his eyes focused he simlied heart filling with warmeth and love. Antauri was floating beside him while otto was at his laying by his legs, nova was at his other side, sprinx sat at the foot of his bed, gibson was rechecking his wound. " Antuai came out off his medition as he sensed chiro awake "how are you feeling?". "Okay, ready to get up and beat sprinx at video games."Chiro smiled brighty. "ftt, as if you could beat me,kid" sprinx replied with relief and happiness. "oh yeah?"Chiro replied mischiefly. "yeah."sprinx said confidently. "your on!" the others laughed at them. They took it easy for the rest of the day. Chiro, Sprinx, Nova and Otto playing diffent games(from video games to card games to board games), Antauri mediating close by sometimes playing a board game with them, gibson in his lab experimenting our reading a book.

When it was 10:00 Chiro went to bed Antauri tucking him in. "Thanks, tauri."

"Your welcome. now get some sleep"Antauri replied fondly. "k, can you stay with me until i fall asleep?" Chairo asked nervously.

"of course." tauri replied rubbing the top of the boys head. Chiro was more than half asleep when anturi heard chrio say softly "love u". Antauri froze as at those words as chiro went completly to cloud nine. "luve you too, son." antauri said just as softly his heart filling with so much joy and love he felt his heart bout to explode. Antauri knew chiro must have heard as a smile spread across the boys face. Chiro moved a little revealing his bandaged arm. Guilt replacing joy in his heart as he saw the bandage. 'i'm sorry my son I wasn't there for you and you got hurt. I swear i won't let anyone hurt again as long as their is breath in my body.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Chiro's pov_

I sat up. 'Where is this place? Last I remember I was in bed'. I looked around, it was dark everywhere I looked. _Chiro_... 'What?' _Chiro..._ Then a light appeared. I walked toward it. The closer I got I felt a warmth coming from it, like a mothers love, a peacefulness. A lady stood in the light. 'No, that's not right the light is coming from her.' She had long golden hair clear blue eyes, eyes that have seen much maybe too much. _Hello Chiro. It's good to see you again, _the lady said smiling oh so softly."Charlotte?" _hehe yes little one. _I ran up and hugged her for dear life. "Charlotte where is this? What are you doing here? I've missed you so much." _Peace little one. This is a place in your mind_ _where we can meet and talk. I have come to check up on you. How have things been since we last parted._ "Things are going great. I have a new family now and there great." I told her beaming. I then began to tell her everything about the monkey team, me becoming a hero, jinmay the girl I have a crush on, the gift I'm giving tauri and everything else that's happened. _That's very good. I'm so proud of you. I'm so glad you finally found a loving family I always knew you would. Listen to me Chiro don't wait to tell someone how much you love them or you may never get a chance to. Follow your heart in matters like this, and know that no matter what happens you are still loved. _"Yes ma'am. I promise I will remember." _Good. I have to go but we will meet again very soon. Be careful I have sensed a dark shadow near. I will find more on it._ Charlotte stood like a queen, a soldier ready to fight, when she looked at me she softened. Charlotte was a safe haven to run, to a pillar of strength, no harm could get to you while you were in her arms. That is how she always was to me. "Goodbye...charlotte" _no, not goodbye merely see you later_. "Okay, see you later then."

I woke with a jolt. I looked over to the alarm; it read 7:00 am. I have to get up between 7:30 and 8:00 to start my day. "Might as well start getting up," I said as I got my stuff together for a shower. As I finished getting ready I was thinking on how to give the Father's Day gift to Antauri. "Might as well give it to him now before the others wake up, yeah that's what I will do." with a plan in mind (somewhat) I went to antauri's room. Outside his door I drew in a big breath, gathered my courage and knocked before I lost it all.

**Antauri's pov****_ **

I was mediating when I felt Chiro wake up. 'He seems nervous I wonder what it could be about' 'I will have to ask him about it later during our mediating session'. A few minutes later I felt Chiro outside my door. "Come in" I said as I heard a knock at my door. Chiro walked in slowly hiding something behind his back. "Chiro come sit. Is something bothering you?" "Umm, how do I put this?" Chiro said under his breath just loud enough for me to catch. "Chiro?" I asked nervously. Not so sure I wanted to know the answer but determine to hear it anyway. All of a sudden Chiro pushes what he had behind his back in front of me. Chiro chewed on his lip nervously. "This is for you. We have a holiday called Father's Day today. I hope you like it." Chiro said so fast I almost couldn't understand him. I blinked in surprise. I took the object in my hands and looked at it. It was a perfectly wrapped box with black wrapping and a silver bow on top. "Well you going to open it?" Chiro asked. I undid the wrapping, opened the box and took out the object. It was a beautiful statue of a child and monkey hugging with a description on the bottom. I paused as I read the description unable to put a thought together in my mind. Fore there at the bottom it said love you dad. I started to cry tears of joy. "Do you hate that much?" Chiro asked in despair. I shook my head no violently. "I have only dared to dream of being a father to you. I love you so much Chiro. Thank you so much for this honor." I put the gift down with the up most care. I pull Chiro in a hug and hold him there like I will never let go before I pull away and look him in the eyes my hands still on his shoulders. "What about your real father? You never have told us anything about them. Part of that is my fault for taking it for granted. I'm sorry." I felt Chiro stiffen when I mention his real father. "Don't be sorry. I don't know if he is even alive anymore. A part of me wishes he isn't. No you are my real father, Antauri. You always have been." I was speechless for a second (for someone who always know what to say I find myself speechless a lot dealing with chiro).

"I thank you for thinking of me as your real father but I don't understand why you seem to hate him so much. That is not like you at all."

Chiro sighed and it tore at my heart for it was a sigh of someone that is has been holding on to painful things and is forced to finally open the wounds. "I will wait to tell you my past until everyone is together, everybody deserves to hear it and I don't want to tell it more than once. Is that okay, Dad?" Chiro asked looking away from me.

I took a hand from one of his shoulders and put it under his chin. I gently made him look at me "of course we can. It's whatever your most comfortable with. Just know that no matter what you tell us it will not change how I feel for you, my son." Chiro nodded to that and look grateful. We sat like that for a minute before I spoke again. "The others are up now, ready to get some breakfast?" Chiro nodded and together we walked into the kitchen uncertain of what the future might hold but promising to be there for each other no matter what.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Chiro's pov

When we got to the tubes that led down to the kitchen we heard the usual yelling, fighting, and the general craziness that comes from living with this family. I couldn't help but smile as I went down the chute. Smells of pancakes, syrup, sausages, bacon, grits, and eggs engulfed my senses as I walked in the kitchen. Nova and Sprinx were fighting (really no surprise there). Gibson was eating while dodging food Otto was slinging everywhere in his messy way of eating. Gibson looked kind of impressive. I went to take a step but ended up slipping on some kind of breakfast.. thing. I found myself stun, lying on my back looking up at the ceiling.

"Chiro!" the others exclaimed worried. (just not as much as antauri)

"um, ow." I said in a causal voice.

"Chiro, are you okay? Where does it hurt? Gibson check on him!"

"I'm fine. Calm down dad." Too late I realized I called him dad in front of the others.

"Dad?" Nova and Gibson looked at us like –_finally- _their eyes seem to say. Sprinx smirked. While Otto looked a mixture of happy and confused. Antauri just blushed.

"yeah." I almost whispered. I told them everything that happened that morning while we all sat down at the table.(leaving out only the dream planning on telling them after I told them my past) Breakfast lasted another 30 minutes or so. We all worked on cleaning the kitchen after.

When that was finished we went to the main room sitting in on our own chairs facing each other. We all sat like that for I don't know how long. Finally I spoke.

"Where do I start?" I asked; to myself or to them I'm not sure.

"I found that the beginning usually works best" Sprinx said. I gave him a small smile and like that the tension that was suffocating before dropped a few degrees. I looked up going to another place as I began my story.

"Well, let's see. I was four when my mother died. It the coldest winter we had in a long while. Mother and I was ice skating on a lake. I wanted to impress her so I went farther away from her than I was suppose to. The ice broke under me and I fell into the water." Distantly I heard the monkeys gasp. "Mother jumped in to save me. She pulled me close to her and got us back to the surface. When we finally able to get off the ice she warped me in all the coats we had and walked back to our house. We both got cold from it. I got better pretty quickly but mother just kept getting sicker and sicker until she just died." I could feel the tears just behind my eyes as I retold them about my mother. I hugged my knees to myself. "It's my fault she's dead. I killed her." 'The monkeys will hate my for sure now just like he did. After all who can love a murder?' I was so deep in my self-loathing I didn't hear the monkeys come up to me. I was jolted out of my thoughts when I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I knew it was Antauri's hand but I couldn't bring myself to look into his eyes.

"Chiro look at me," He ordered gently. I slowly lifted my head up until our eyes met. "No, it's not. Who told you such things?" Tarui's asked his expression unreadable. The others listened intently, wanting to know who to find and smack down on for telling there boy these lies and making him hurt inside.

"My father," I replied refusing to cry.

"What?!" they all cried out in outrage and shock.

"I think you guys need to sit down so I can tell the rest of my story." And they did sit down, right beside me, Atauri's hand still on my arm giving me strength. I couldn't help but give a small, watery smile. I looked down so they wouldn't see the few tears that escaped before I could get a hold of my emotions again. When I did I looked back up at them and said, "Thank you," letting them hear my gratitude.

"Now then, at my mother's funeral….."


End file.
